Ref ID : 6085
T. Wayne Schultz, Carole S. Richter, and James N. Dumont; Cytotoxicity of Acridine, a Synfuel component, to Tetrahymena. Environ.Pollut.A 26:215-226, 1981
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Cytotoxic effects of acridine, an organic component of synthetic fossil fuel products, were investigated. Populations of the common freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis were exposed to various concentrations from 0 to 40 mg litre-1, and their behaviour, respiration, cytology and growth were examined. The 24-hr LC100 and 24-hr LC50 were determined to be 35 and 30 mg litre-1, respectively. At lower concentrations, few, if any, sublethal alterations were noted in respiration, ultrastructure, cell size and glycogen and protein contents. However, at 30 mg liter-1 cell size and glycogen content are significantly reduced. Population growth, in contrast is altered at concentrations as low as 2.5 mg litre-1. The most striking toxic response to acridine is cytolysis, which is preceded by shape alteration and contractile vacuole malfunction. Cytolysis may result from weakening of the membrane and pellicle by the partitioning of the hydrophilic acridine into highly lipid membranes.